Sign with interchangeable characters



Sept. 6, 1966 N. DELIA ETAL 3,270,452

SIGN WITH INTERCHANGEABLE CHARACTERS Filed Feb. 2, 1966 FIG. 3

INVENTORS. ANTHONY N. DELIA EDWARD M. STOLARZ JOHN P. CHANDLER THEIR ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,270,452 SIGN WITH INTERCHANGEABLE CHARACTERS Anthony N. DElia, 3555 Netherland Ave., Riverdale, N.Y., and Edward M. Stolarz, RED. 2, Horton Drive,

Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 2, 1966,. Ser. No. 524,560 7 Claims. (Cl. 40-140) This invention relates to display sign assemblies with novel means for interchanging letters or other graphic symbols and for supporting all of the components forming the assembly, without the use of a separate base support. An important object of the invention is to provide a plurality of letters, numbers, and other graphic characters with novel means for interlocking the characters in straight line array in such a manner as to prevent accidental or unintentional displacement of the parts.

The individual letters or other graphic characters may be made in any desired manner out of any material such as metal, plastic, etc., but it is prefer-red to form them as extrusions from lightweight metal such as aluminum and then to cut the individual characters in desired thickness from the longer extruded piece. The cross sectional cont-our may include an upstanding letter accessory or other character formed integrally with a base section, the base section having interlocking mortise and tenon connecting portions adapted to be interconnected along opposed side edges thereof so as to permit assembly in sideby-side relation. Each tongue or tenon may have a flaring or dovetail contour, i.e., a width diminishing toward the root, and the recess or mortise has a corresponding contour.

A desk sign for ofiice use and comprising a persons name can be assembled in a matter of seconds and a resilient strip of adhesive material may then be applied to the lower face to hold the letters in alignment in a rigid and secure manner although other methods may be em ployed to maintain the individual sections in fixed relationship. If the display is one used for promotional or advertising purposes, it may be readily disassembled when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an im proved interlocking assembly for letters and other characters, accessories such as pen bases and which will provide a functionally improved sign as well as a sign of improved and neat appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly of interlocking components in end-to-end array which may include letters, graphic symbols, punctuations, space blocks and useful supporting devices such as pen holders.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nameplate formed of characters constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a length of the extruded piece before slicing;

FIG. 3 shows a complete assembly with end pieces for giving the assembly a more finished appearance;

FIG. 4 shows an accessory holder interlocked with one of said letters;

FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

There is shown in FIG. 1 a plurality of letters constructed in accordance with the present invention when assembled in end-to-end relation to form the name I. Ford. Each of the letters 10, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a base portion 11 and a letter section 12 extending upwardly therefrom and formed integrally therewith, i.e. in one piece. Each individual letter may be formed in substantial lengths by conventional extruding techniques and each extruded piece, possibly about 10 feet in length, is transversely cut to shorter lengths to form the individual letters. These shorter pieces, formed by slicing the long extruded section, may vary in length, i.e. thickness, it being only desirable to make them thick enough so that the assembly will stand upright without too much danger of falling over on its side, unless, of course, the assembly is intended by the user to lie flat on a desk with the letters facing upwardly. In most instances, a length of about two inches will be most suitable for use, as well as most attractive in appearance and their length is shown in FIG. 1 to be substantially equal to the width of the character. If it is to lie fiat, it is preferable to make them about one half inch in thickness.

The base section has front and rear faces, 13 and 14, and opposed side edges 16 and 18. A recess 19 is formed along edge 16, said recess terminating at its inner end in a section 20 of dovetail contour. The opposite edge has a projection or tenon including a fiat section 21 received in recess 19 and a projection or male section 22 shaped complemental to inner section 20 of the recess or mortise. The proportions and configurations of the projection 21-22 is such as to slide readily into the mortise. The degree of frictional engagement between the parts should be low enough as not to require a hammer to' disassemble the parts. The section 23 is contoured to suggest a period following the letter I.

It is to be understood that spacer portions may be provided so as to allow greater flexibility in assembly so as to provide a desired aesthetic effect as to set oif an accessory, such as a pen holder or calender from the name plate.

Further it is to be understood that the interlocking letters may be provided with an adhesive back-ing on the rear portion thereof so as to allow for afiixation to a surface such as a door or wall.

In order to give the assembled name or word a finished appearance, it is preferable to provide a male finishing strip 24 for the left hand edge 16 of the left hand terminal letter and a female finishing strip 26 on the right hand side. Finishing strip 24 has the dovetail projection 28 received in the mortise along the left side of the letter and finishing strip 26 has the dovetail recess 29 to receive projection.

When the entire word or name is assembled, there is applied to the lower face a resilient strip 35 having a pressure sensitive adhesive or suitable cement on its upper face and this secures the characters firmly in alignment as well as protecting a wood surface from scratches from a metallic member.

One interesting feature of the present invention is the provision of a two toned effect which is secured by anodizing the extrusion and then cutting the section with a carbide saw which gives the appearance of brushesd aluminum on the faces 13 and 14.

FIG. 4 shows a single character, i.e., the letter F interconnected with a separate base 31 with a socket 32 to support a pen 33 and an end piece 16.

Referring now specifically to the second embodiment disclosed in FIGURE 5, there is seen an interlocking letter generally designated as 110, comprising a base portion 111 and a character 112 extending upwardly therefrom and formed integrally therewith.

A recess 119 is formed in the base 111 having a slot 120 formed therein. The projection portion 121 on the opposite side is formed in a manner as to slip into the recess 119, and is formed with a slot 122 in alignment with the corresponding slot 120 in the base portion 111.

A wedge or key 1 24 which may be made from metal or plastic, such as polyethylene, is provided which is adapted to be force fitted into aligned slots 120, 122 to hold the letters in position.

While there have been described herein What are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein Without departing from the essence of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What We claim is:

1. A sign formed from a plurality of individual graphic metal components including letters, rigidly mounted in straight line relation, each component including a base sect-ion and a graphic character formed integrally with and extending upwardly from the base section and having a dimension extending in a direction longitudinally of the character substantially equal to the dimension in a direction extending transversely thereof said base having along one transverse edge thereof an undercut recess being formed along its opposed transverse edge with a projection shaped complemental to, and being received in said recess in an adjoining component, the shape and contour of said projections corresponding closely to the recesses as to effect a rigid straight line mounting and constituting the sole means for efiecting the same.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the recesses and projections have a dovetail configuration.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein a base strip is secured to and covers the lower faces of the assembled components.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the components are extrusions cut to appropriate lengths.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the components include devices resembling punctuations.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein finishing pieces are interlocked in the opposed ends of the assembly.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein one of the components is a base support for an article such as a pen.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,430,540 10/1922 FalcoWer 40-142 1,619,271 3/1927 Ross et al. 40--142 X 1,973,616 9/1934 Fleeman 4014O 2,694,265 11/1954 Way 3540 2,863,242 12/1958 Britton .m 40-140 2,875,540 3/1959 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

S. M. BENDER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SIGN FORMED FROM A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL GRAPHIC METAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING LETTERS, RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN STRAIGHT LINE RELATION, EACH COMPONENT INCLUDING A BASE SECTION AND A GRAPHIC CHARACTER FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BASE SECTION AND HAVING A DIMENSION EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CHARACTER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DIMENSION IN A DIRECTION EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF SAID BASE HAVING ALONG ONE TRANSVERSE EDGE THEREOF AN UNDERCUT RECESS BEING FORMED ALONG ITS OPPOSED TRANSVERSE EDGE WITH A PROJECTION SHAPED COMPLEMENTAL TO, AND BEING RECEIVED IN SAID RECESS IN AN ADJOINING COMPONENT, THE SHAPE AND CONTOUR OF SAID PROJECTIONS CORRESPONDING CLOSELY TO THE RECESSES AS TO EFFECT A RIGID STRAIGHT LINE MOUNTING AND CONSTITUTING THE SOLE MEANS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME. 